In solar technology, the photovoltaic (PV) panel orientation relative to the sun's rays determines power production. On a clear day, power is maximized when the solar panel is oriented normal to the direction sun's rays. During days with dubious weather, the actual maximum point of power production may not be exclusively based on the position of the sun due to atmospheric scattering. Also, because the sun's position in the sky moves throughout the day, the elevation angle for a solar panel needs to be changed several times each hour (e.g., every minute) to provide maximum output power. Over longer periods of time, the azimuth position for maximum power output changes as well, requiring the azimuthal angle of the solar panel to also be changed.
Sun tracking allows a PV panel to follow motion of the sun to help maximize power. Sun tracking and can be performed manually, or automatically. Conventional automation requires sensors to determine the location of the sun, or to have a pre-programmed tracking path to predict the position of the sun to obtain in an attempt to obtain maximum power throughout the day. These systems can be expensive and inaccurate. There is thus a need to create a more efficient system and method for automatic solar tracking.